I have photographed quite a number of bumps, and what I love about each and every one of them is that they are all so different!
Today photographing M and M’s bump I realised how cute this little one was! I mean M is 36 weeks, and looks *amazing*!!! It was a great way to kick off the week, and I am really excited to meet their new bundle in a very few, short weeks! All the best guys, see you soon!
Winter Special 2009
Winter has definitely hit our region in the past few days, hasn’t it? The scarves and jackets are out and we are looking for warm spots in the sun with cups of tea (or is that just me?).
Sometimes winter can be overlooked as a time to get photographs taken. Winter is actually a great time of year as the light is so soft and warm in the late afternoon. It also means if you have little people that you don’t have to be home too late for dinner and a warm bath before bed. Most sessions in winter are from 4-5 or 5:30pm.
Locations? Think about an urban shot, the rustic setting of horse stables or a sheltered park with big trees.
Scarves, beanies and cute jackets are all the go for your winter session and really do photograph so well with some nice jeans!
Sound enticing? How about this offer? Limited sessions available. Please feel free to forward this to your friends who have been talking about a session for a while now!
1 hour session
1 – 16’x20’ mounted image
4 – 8 x 12 prints
All images professionally edited and printed
TOTAL OF ONLY $300
(valued at $440)
*session must be booked in before 1st August, with a $100 booking fee (taken from final package price).
Here is an example of an image I took this afternoon at a nearby paddock, perfect for a winter session!
I wonder if any of you have seen me lately and not been up to say hello? The town of Bundaberg has been buzzing with a few things going on that I (and my family too!) have been part of. It started with our local show, this is something that we look forward to every year. A dagwood dog (to make you feel so sick!); show bags and fireworks. This year I entered the local photography section as I always do, and gained a 2nd in the “colour portrait” section. My girls also went ahead and entered the competition for the first time. They did very well with some highly commended and a 2nd for G. Here are a few shots:
I also had the opportunity to “woman” 2 stalls lately. The first being at our “Wedding and Formal Expo” in May, and the other at a wonderful evening held at the Bundaberg CitiCoast Church, it was called “Glamour” and was basically a night of fun, pamper and cake 
for women. It was so beautiful to see, and great to be part of! Be sure to try and go along next year ladies!! Here is my stall from the Expo:
From my last post you may all understand why I have decided to give a gift to a very deserving Mum out there. Do you know a Mum that is a beautiful soul, and would love the chance to have a photo shoot? Do you know a Mum that works hard all the time (don’t we all!!) and deserves something fun and exciting to do?
This shoot could be one that you get to give to another woman out there that you admire, respect and love!
I am offering the following to one Mum/family:
1 complimentary photo session (1 hour)
1 complimentary 16×20 mounted image
TOTAL VALUE = $260
So, there are conditions right?
Yes there are, there always is. The photo shoot must be done during the month of June, 2009. The Mum must be nominated by someone – either a family member, friend or herself! The image for the mount is to be chosen by the Mum, with other prints available for purchase if she so wishes. The recipient is at the judges (Susan Wall’s) discretion, and her word is final. The photo shoot can be one for Mum only or one that she gets her family to be part of also.
How to nominate the amazing woman that you know?
Please leave a comment here, on the blog – letting me know you have visited. Then send an email in 100 words or less telling me about this special woman. Email to susan@susanwall.com.au
A Mothers’ Day surprise will be announced via email and on the blog to one lovely lady!! Entries close 1 May 2009
To finish off here are some beautiful Mums I have photographed over the past year or so (and one of my lovely girls and I too!):
Last week I realised how fortunate I am to have my Mum. I got a phone call from my husband saying “your Mum has been taken to hospital, it has been touch and go but they think she will be alright.” You know when you feel yourself walking, but you don’t know if you are actually moving at all? Not nice at all! My Mum is fine now, but she did come dangerously close to not being here. It made me think, yet again how much I love her and how fortunate I am that together as a family we take a lot of photographs.
I don’t however have many images to look at of my Mum from when she was my age (young!! hehe!). Do you have many of your Mum to look at from her younger days? Do your children have these precious, priceless images at all? Imagine being able to show great-great-grandchildren one day what your Mum looked like!
I find that a lot of women don’t like having their photograph taken, as Mothers we don’t get that time to take out for ourselves as we are always putting everything and everyone before us! Maybe for your Mum you could give a gift to her and in turn future generations of your family.
A photoshoot *just* for Mum! One where we get to celebrate the woman that she is, the beautiful nurturer and soft place to fall. The one that really makes us feel like it will all be ok – as she said it would be! This is aimed to be a fun and joyous occassion for your special Mum/lady!
This photo shoot includes the following:
In house consultation, including wardrobe and accessories assistance
Up to 2 hours total of fun, laughs and photographs
Lunch and champage
1 Album containing 10 5×7 images (chosen by Mum)
TOTAL of $300
Dates are filling up very quickly leading up to Mothers’ Day, so please email or call asap to secure your date and time ($100 booking fee required, subtracted from the total cost). I know by taking a lot of self portraits last year during my image-a-day I realised what a great gift I have now got to give my daughters, and their children etc etc. Here are a few more to share with you:
Last year I was part of a beautiful gift. A client (and now great friend!) J, wanted to organise a photo shoot for some friends of hers. Anne was diagnosed with cancer and her future was uncertain. Soon after the shoot they moved to Sydney to seek further medical help. Unfortunately I received the very sad news last week that Anne had lost her battle to cancer and had passed away.
It made me stop.breath.stop.sigh
My heart goes out to T and K who have lost their beautiful Mum, who now have to live a life with part of it missing. I know that your prayers will pull you through and you will feel the strength and love of your Mum as you continue on your journey through life. To have had J organise this shoot and give this lifelong gift to you was truly a blessing. Thank you J for your amazing gift, for letting me be part of it also.
Finally, an image of this beautiful family – one that speaks so loud and forevermore!
{Photographs are gifts that are treasured for a long time after you have been on this earth. I know there are so many people who are suffering and in need of these memories. Please contact me if you require assistance for a family in need. Remembering that my photography is something I am happy to share and use to lighten the load of those struggling}.
Thanks for the support and interest over the past week friends, I hope you all feel as though you have got something out of it. In ending this special – and fun – week I would like to share a video clip with you. This is a selection of images from the wedding that I photographed 7th February for J and S.
This is to give you all an indication of the start to end of a wedding session for me. Rather then a few of my personal images this is a bit more real I believe.
Happy Sunday 
[vimeo vimeo.com/3406549]
“Why should I pay more for this photographer, when I can get it much cheaper down the road?”
With a lot of families on a budget it is understandable that some have to be more price sensitive then others. And photography after all is seen as a luxury item, not something we need to survive that’s for sure. Though I have to say it is something that can be loved and cherished for generations to come. One of my favourite images of my Mother means so much to me, if only we could get more of those lovely images to share with our grandchildren! {Here is a perfect example of why I encourage if you can to bring along your parents to your shoot – 3 generations really is a gift!}
Photography is something that you shouldn’t let price be your deciding factor. There are photographers that give it all to you for next to nothing, and then this can make it hard to go past. Though you can’t really compare price to price with photography. You need to compare quality to quality to see what you are really getting for your money. It might turn out that you are better off saving for a few months to get the better photographer to do an amazing job of your loved ones!!
My work is something that I take a lot of pride in, and I honestly do leave a part of myself with each order. By the end of the adventure each client feels like an old friend, one that I cherish! My products are of a very high standard, and ones that I use for my own personal use also. With these things you do pay a higher price, though photography is one area where you usually get what you pay for. The photographer down the road at $125 for a disk of images I am sure takes ok images, but if you want to get wonderful, priceless and timeless images then you may need to look around more, not based on price.
As I mentioned yesterday photographers aren’t just charging you for the price of the paper they print on, there are a lot of other cost to go into this business. That is what determines ones prices, that and their skill.
I hope this helps some of you make a decision. I know that we all have our limits, and we have to respect our own personal situations. There are some things you can’t put a price on. A mother’s beautiful pregnant bump weeks before her child is born, two little sister cracking up laughing, that first kiss as Mr & Mrs. These things you will treasure for a long time to come. They are things you need to be right, a perfect moment needs to be captured by who is the perfect photographer for you.
Today I will share with you an image that I have of my 2 girls. Taken over a year ago and one that I still get so gushy over each time I see it *large* in our dining room. My own piece of wall art
Susan Wall Photography will be visiting the town of Yamba, NSW and is offering a total of four sessions during the following dates:
Thursday 9th April, 2009 – 4:30pm to 5:30pm
Friday 10th April, 2009 – 4:30pm to 5:30pm
Saturday 11th April, 2009 – 4:30pm to 5:30pm
Sunday 12th April, 2009 – 4:30pm to 5:30pm
Monday 13th April, 2009 – 4:30pm to 5:30pm
Tuesday 14th April, 2009 will be a combined viewing night with dinner and drinks. Here you will get to see your gallery (and those of the other families from the week also) and enjoy your beautiful family portraits. You will then have a private viewing with Susan to place your order.
To secure your preferred date a booking fee of $50 will be required, with 50% of your total order cost to be paid within 2 days of your viewing, and the remaining 50% once the order has arrived in Yamba. Please note the minimum spend of $350 per session (includes $50 booking fee).
Orders will be sent directly to Yamba to be distributed, in approximately 2/3 weeks after the orders are finalized.
Once you have paid your booking Susan will be in contact with you for your details and to email you further information about what to expect from your photoshoot.
To see examples of Susan’s work, make your booking, or to email any questions please go to:
Website: www.susanwall.com.au be sure to follow both the website and blog links to see examples and news!
Email: susan@susanwall.com.au
Phone: 0408 030708
How beautiful is this little town? Here is an image of the sun setting over the river:
Thanks for the emails I have received from those saying they are enjoying this week with me very nice to hear! But don’t feel too shy to comment here!
Today is the topic of “If a 5×7 only cost you $1 why do you charge (insert amount)$$?”
This is something that I have been spending a lot of time on of late. As I have been redirecting the attitude and direction of Susan Wall Photography this has been on my mind a lot. It is the hardest part of this business for me personally. How do you know what to charge? I just want to take photographs – that is why I am doing this. In fact I do it as I CAN’T stop taking photographs, I love it! But, of course on the flip side this photography takes up a lot of my time, takes me away from my family and is a very expensive business to be part of.
I like to compare it to a few things I have done/experienced this week in other businesses. On Monday I took both my girls to the dentist – a regular (6 montly) check-up. They were in the chair for say 40 minutes, and the cost was $96, and yet all they used was a tiny mirror and some air puffer thing on the girls. Why did they charge me $96 for an activity that gave us nothing but a bill (and also an indication of how their teeth were going). Their expenses is exactly what I had to pay for – oh and also the all important wage that makes the dentists turn up to work each morning. In that $96 are their running fees, the practice, the equipment, telephone, electricity, cleaning fees, advertising, business cards, pens, paper, uniforms, training and education, receptionist etc. It adds up very quickly when you think about it!
That my friends is why you have to pay a lot for a lunch out also! My husband and I went to a little eatery today for lunch. I got a (very delicious) sandwich and a can of drink, Don having a BLT burger and a milkshake. $25 later and we were very full. Why did we pay $25 for something we could have had a home for $8 if that. The experience, the location, the time together and the change is what made us go and spend the $25, and the food was very yummy I have to say again. We didn’t just pay the business owner $25 so she could make a $17 profit from us, she has to take her expenses out of that $18 remaining. You almost start to feel like you aren’t paying enough when you think about it!
Being a photographer is my full time job. I am not shooting full time, but I am always researching, reading, learning by attending workshops (that cost too). I do all this to better improve my skills and offer new things to my clients. This is time consuming, as is the time I spend preparing your gallery and the order for you. My girls laugh when they see me with a large mount up to my nose, checking every last millimeter has been well printed. When you pay a photographer for that 5×7 there is a lot of work that has gone into producing it to that level. There also once again are all the “hidden” cost to produce that piece of art.
I have been very fortunate to have clients that appreciate my passion for their photographs, for the passion I have to see them with an image that can be passed through generations to come. Some photographers call images an “investment” as they see the money you spend as an investment into your own, personal piece of art and history. An interesting way of looking at it for sure! This is why I am now offering mostly wall art (see day 1 for more information), I want you to see your images, large on your wall. Something to be very proud of.
I hope this has helped explain a bit about why there are costs to have your beautiful family photographed, and after all there is no price to put on freezing time in a beautiful piece of art. It is timeless and priceless!
Chat to you all tomorrow x
